


On Evolution

by sunlitroses



Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Episode: s02e15 Threshold, Gen, Late Night Conversations, Threshold Day
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-29
Updated: 2021-01-29
Packaged: 2021-03-14 16:28:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29049171
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunlitroses/pseuds/sunlitroses
Summary: After the events of the Warp 10 experiment, Lieutenant Paris and Captain Janeway contemplate evolution and the fate of those they left behind.
Comments: 12
Kudos: 14





	On Evolution

“Captain?”

“At ease, Tom,” the Captain held up a hand as she maneuvered through the darkened mess hall towards the coffee urns.

“Um,” Tom cleared his throat awkwardly. “I’m pretty sure that I should remind you, as a medic, that the Doctor said no coffee for either of us for twenty-four hours.”

“I’m also sure that he said something about resting,” she countered with a raised eyebrow, begrudgingly turning away from her Pursuit of Coffee. “I don’t think sitting in the mess hall qualifies.”

“Hey, I’m not working.” Blowing out a breath, he then nodded in acknowledgment of her return volley. “I’m just trying to – sort things out, I guess.”

“It has been an eventful couple of days.” The soft pad of boots on carpet and a gentle shush of fabric filled the silence as she took the seat across from him. “Anything in particular about them on your mind?”

“All of it,” he admitted with a rueful laugh, “but I think my biggest question is, lizards? Is that really what we’re evolving towards? One day, somewhere far in the future, that’s what we’re all going to be? Something less than what we are now?”

Janeway turned sideways in her seat to look out of the windows, as he had been upon her entry. After a beat, he mimicked the action. It was strange to look out at the cosmos now, space warping by, and remember that not so long ago he had held the entirety of it in his mind. Even now, when the details were gone and the broad sweep of the feeling almost vanished, it still lingered as this forceful sensation of strength and peace. He hoped that would last.

“We were those beings for such a short time, Tom,” she finally broke the moment. “Did we reach the end of our evolution? Were we still in an intermediate state? What does the impact of artificially accelerating to an evolved state have upon the outcome? There are a lot of questions that we don’t have answers to, and we may never have those answers. However,” she paused a moment in thought. “I have to believe that what we are evolving towards, what all beings are evolving towards – whatever those outcomes may be – isn’t something less than what we are now. That our efforts towards understanding the universe and ourselves, no matter how we may stumble and falter on the way, will eventually lead us to greater knowledge and acceptance, however it may take form.”

Her statements had no facts behind them, no proof in the face of what they had become, but as they sank in Tom felt a peace similar to the state he had felt joined with the universe. They sat a long moment in the darkened room, faces tilted towards the starscape outside, the wash of warp light reflected in their eyes.

“What do you think will become of them? The,” Tom stalled, searching for a neutral term, before finally landing on, “others.”

“Honestly, I’ve been trying not to think about that,” she answered with a short laugh. “I hope they do well, though.”

“They should,” Tom looked over at her, feeling his spirits revive, “they have the Janeway genes going for them after all.”

She looked back at him, a raised eyebrow momentarily making him wonder if he’d gone too far, before she favored him with a crooked grin. “I suppose their Paris genes might do them some favors, too. Assuming they don’t get them into too much trouble first.”

He grinned back, then a thought occurred to him. “Hey, did we note what planet they found us on? Just in case the Federation ever makes it back out here.”

The Captain nodded. “It’s noted on the star charts and in the logs. One muggy swamp planet marked down for the future. The crew even found the designated system name from a sparsely populated colony planet on their way to find us.”

“Really?” It felt surprising that the planet, which seemed wholly theirs in a strange way, had a name and a presence to others. “What is it?”

“It’s an awkward sound, the translators struggled with it,” she shrugged. “The nearest we can determine the pronunciation is: Dagobah.”

* * *

Not long before on a planet far, far away from a small starship receding somewhere across the vast expanse of space, a creature crawled out of the water onto a rock. It’s startled prey leapt away from it, striking towards the farther shore. Suddenly, the frantic movements were arrested, legs spinning but gaining no traction, hauled upward into the air.

In the depths of the forest, the eyes of sundry creatures watched or passed hurriedly over the scene. The trapped prey clawed vainly at the air, striking out at the nothing that encircled it. Managing to turn in the invisible grasp, it briefly glimpsed the arm of the creature outstretched towards it and the gaping maw behind.

* Slurp *

**Author's Note:**

> This seemed in keeping with the spirit of the original episode - at least the part where it starts off somewhat normal and then goes horribly awry.


End file.
